Transfer Bench

ABSTRACT

A transfer bench includes a base frame with a plurality of telescoping legs. At least one foot pad assembly is threadably connected to at least one of the legs. A plurality of receiving members are connected to the base frame, with each receiving member including a locking device. A side frame is connected to the base frame and includes an attachment device configured to engage the grab bar of a shower stall. A seat is carried on the base frame. A seat back assembly is removably mounted on the base frame. The seat back assembly includes a seat back frame having extension elements configured to engage the receiving members on the base frame. A leg support can be removably mounted on the transfer bench.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No.61/523,483, filed Aug. 15, 2011, herein incorporated by reference in itsentirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to transfer benches for physicallydisabled individuals and, in one particular embodiment, to a transferbench that can be free-standing or attached to the grab bar of a showerstall.

2. Technical Considerations

For physically disabled individuals, such as wounded veterans, taskssuch as bathing and showering can be challenging. In order to addressthis problem, transfer benches have been developed. A typical transferbench can be placed in a conventional bathtub to allow the disabledperson to be supported during bathing. Some of these conventionaltransfer benches utilize suction cups on the bottom of supporting legsto anchor the legs to the floor of the bathtub. Other transfer bencheshave legs that fit in the bathtub and press against the bathtubsidewalls to keep the transfer bench from tipping or moving laterally.While these transfer benches provide a secure support for the user in aconventional bathtub, some modem bathrooms do not include a bathtub.They may simply have a shower stall. Or, if there is a bathtub, theremay also be a separate shower stall. Conventional transfer benches arenot easily adaptable to use in shower stalls.

It would be advantageous to provide a transfer bench that could besecurely installed in a shower stall for use by a disabled person. Itwould also be advantageous if the transfer bench could also befree-standing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A transfer bench comprises a base frame and a seat formed on the baseframe. A plurality of telescoping legs are connected to the base frame.A side frame is connected to the base frame. The side frame includes atleast one attachment device configured to engage a shower grab bar. Aseat back assembly is connected to the base frame.

Another transfer bench comprises a base frame and a plurality oftelescoping legs connected to the base frame. At least some of the legsinclude a threaded base. At least one foot pad assembly is threadablyconnected to the threaded base of at least one of the legs. A pluralityof receiving members are connected to the base frame, with eachreceiving member including a locking device. A side frame is connectedto the base frame. The side frame includes at least one attachmentdevice configured to engage the grab bar of a shower stall. A seat iscarried on the base frame. The seat comprises at least one deckingmember. A seat back assembly is removably mounted on the base frame. Theseat back assembly comprises a seat back frame having extensionelements, with the extension elements configured to engage receivingmembers on the base frame. A leg support can be removably mounted on thetransfer bench. The leg support has a support beam and a supportsurface, with the support beam configured to releasably engage areceiving member on the base frame.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described with reference to the following drawingfigures wherein like reference numbers identify like parts throughout.

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a transfer bench of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the transfer bench of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the transfer bench of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an elevated, perspective view of the transfer bench of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a bottom front perspective view of the transfer bench of FIG.1; and

FIG. 6 is a bottom rear perspective view of the transfer bench of FIG.1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As used herein, spatial or directional terms, such as “top”, “bottom”,“left”, “right”, “up”, “down”, “front”, “rear”, and the like, relate tothe invention as it is shown in the drawing figures and these termsshould not be considered as limiting to the invention.

A transfer bench 10 incorporating features of the invention is shown inFIGS. 1-6. As shown in FIGS. 1, 5, and 6, the transfer bench 10 includesa base frame 12 having a front support 14, a rear support 16, and a pairof side supports 18. The elements of the base frame 12 can be of anysuitable material, such as metal. The front support 14 and rear support16 can be, for example, rectangular steel tubes and the side supports 18can be, for example, L-shaped metal brackets to hold the base frame 12together. The base frame 12 can also include one or more intermediatesupports to add stability and strength to the base frame 12.

The transfer bench 10 includes a plurality of legs 24 attached to orconnected to the base frame 12. The legs 24 can be of any suitablematerial, such as metal. The legs 24 are preferably adjustable in lengthsuch that the height of the transfer bench 10 is adjustable. Forexample, as shown in FIGS. 2, 5, and 6, the legs 24 can includetelescopic members having a stationary outer member 26 and one or moreinner members 28 slidable within the outer member 26. The outer member26 has a throughbore configured to align with bores in the inner member28. A fastener 30, such as a conventional locking pin, can be used toset the length of the legs 24. Additionally, the bottom of legs 24, suchas the bottom of the inner member 28, can include a threaded base 32through which the threaded post of a foot pad assembly 34 can beengaged. Thus, the height of the transfer bench 10 can be set by fixingthe length of the telescoping legs 24 and also adjusting the length ofthe foot pad assembly 34.

The base frame 12 also includes at least one receiving member 36, suchas a plurality of receiving tubes, attached to the bottom of the baseframe 12. The receiving members 36 can be, for example, hollow steeltubes and can contain a locking device 38, such as a spring-biasedplunger, that extends into the interior of the tubes.

A side frame 40 is a part of or is attached to the base frame 12. Theside frame 40 can be of any suitable material, such as metal. In theillustrated embodiment, the side frame 40 includes a pair of opposedvertical posts 44 and a cross-rail 46 to provide additional support.Attachment devices 48 to attach the transfer bench 10 to a conventionalshower grab bar are attached to the side frame 40. In the illustratedembodiment, the attachment devices 48 are configured as metal shackles,such as “U”-shaped or “J”-shaped metal pieces. The shackles can engage alocking bar 50 extending from the side frame 40. The inner end of theshackle can be slidable in a hole in the locking bar 50 and the outerend of the shackle can extend through a different hole in the lockingbar 50 and can engage a locking device, such as a conventional threadedwing nut. The side frame 40 also includes a pair of side supports 52configured to engage a wall in the shower stall to increase thestability of the transfer bench 10. The side supports 52 can include acushioned outer end, e.g., a rubber or plastic cap, so as not to damagethe wall of the shower stall.

A seat 54 is carried on the base frame 12. The seat 54 can be anyconventional seat type and, in the illustrated embodiment, is formed byat least one decking member 56, such as a plurality of spaced deckingmembers 56, connected to the base frame 12. The decking members 56 canbe of any suitable material, such as plastic or metal.

The transfer device 10 also includes a seat back assembly 60. The seatback assembly 60 includes a seat back frame 62 with an upwardlyextending portion 64 and a pair of extension elements 66. The seat backframe 62 can be, for example, made of rectangular metal tubing. At leastone decking member 68, such as a plurality of decking members 68,similar to those making the seat, can be attached to the upwardlyextending portion 64 of the frame 62. The extension elements 66 areconfigured to slide in the receiving tubes on the base frame 12, asshown in FIG. 6. The receiving tubes 36 can have a plurality of holeslocated along the bottom of the tube so that the position of the seatback with respect to the seat is adjustable. The seat back can be lockedin place by spring-biased plungers 38 engaging holes in the extensionelements 66.

The transfer bench 10 also includes a leg support 70 having a supportbeam 72 with a support surface 74 attached thereto. In the illustratedembodiment, the support surface 74 is formed by at least one deckingmember 76, such as a pair of spaced decking members 76. The deckingmembers 76 can be of any suitable material, such as metal or plastic.The support beam 72 is configured to engage one of the receiving tubes36 on the bottom of the base frame 12. The leg support 70 can be lockedin place by one of the spring-biased plungers. The support beam 72 canbe, for example, a rectangular metal tube.

To use the transfer bench 10, the transfer bench 10 can be positioned ina shower stall. The wing nuts can be unfastened and the shackles pulledupwardly or removed from the side frame 40. The transfer bench 10 ispositioned such that the shower grab bar is above the locking bars 50and then the shackles are replaced to surround the shower grab bar. Thewing nuts are replaced and tightened so that the side frame 40 issecurely clamped onto the shower grab bar. The side supports 52 abut theshower stall wall to provide additional support and stability to thetransfer bench 10. If the height of the seat or the height of thetransfer bench 10 requires adjustment, the locking pins in the legs 24can be removed and the length of the legs 24 adjusted. For minoradjustments, the threaded foot pad assemblies 34 can be rotated to makeminor adjustments in height. The position of the seat back with respectto the seat can be adjusted by sliding the extension elements 66 in thereceiving tubes 36 and then locking them in place at the desiredlocation. The leg support 70 can be adjusted by sliding the support beam72 in the receiving tube 36 and locking it in place. Or, if the legsupport 70 is not needed, it can simply be removed.

As will be appreciated, the transfer bench 10 can be removed from theshower stall by releasing the loops and moving the transfer bench 10 outof the shower stall. For ease of use, the transfer bench 10 does notrequire the use of tools to install or adjust any of the functionalcomponents.

It will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art thatmodifications may be made to the invention without departing from theconcepts disclosed in the foregoing description. Accordingly, theparticular embodiments described in detail herein are illustrative onlyand are not limiting to the scope of the invention, which is to be giventhe full breadth of the appended claims and any and all equivalentsthereof.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A transfer bench, comprising: a base frame;a seat formed on the base frame; a plurality of telescoping legsconnected to the base frame; a side frame connected to the base frame,the side frame including at least one attachment device configured toengage a shower grab bar; and a seat back assembly adjustably connectedto the base frame.
 2. The transfer bench of claim 1, including aplurality of receiving tubes connected to the base frame and positionedunder the seat.
 3. The transfer bench of claim 2, wherein the seat backincludes extension elements configured to engage the receiving tubes. 4.The transfer bench of claim 1, including at least one side supportextending from the side frame.
 5. The transfer bench of claim 1,including a leg support removably mounted on the base frame.
 6. Thetransfer bench of claim 1, wherein the base frame comprises a frontsupport, a rear support, and a pair of side supports, and the supportscomprise metal tubes.
 7. The transfer bench of claim 1, furtherincluding at least one side support extending outwardly from the sideframe and having a cushioned outer end.
 8. The transfer bench of claim3, including a locking device connected to the receiving tube andconfigured to engage the extension elements on the seat back assemblysuch that a position of the seat back assembly with respect to the baseframe is selectively adjustable.
 9. The transfer bench of claim 4,wherein the side support includes a locking bar and a curved metalshackle connectable with the locking bar.
 10. A transfer bench,comprising: a base frame; a plurality of telescoping legs connected tothe base frame, with at least one of the legs including a threaded base;at least one foot pad assembly threadably connected to the threaded baseof at least one leg; a plurality of receiving members connected to thebase frame, with each receiving member including a locking device; aside frame connected to the base frame, the side frame including atleast one attachment device configured to engage the grab bar of ashower stall; a seat carried on the base frame, the seat comprising atleast one decking member; a seat back assembly removably mounted on thebase frame, the seat back assembly comprising a seat back frame havingextension elements, with the extension elements configured to engagereceiving members on the base frame; and a leg support having a supportbeam and a support surface, with the support beam configured toreleasably engage a receiving member on the base frame.
 11. A transferbench, comprising: a base frame comprising a front support, a rearsupport, and a pair of side supports, with the supports comprisinghollow metal tubes; a plurality of telescoping legs connected to thebase frame, with at least one of the legs including a threaded base; atleast one foot pad assembly connected to the threaded base of at leastone leg; a plurality of receiving members connected to the base frame,with each receiving member comprising a hollow metal tube and having alocking device connected thereto; a side frame connected to a side ofthe base frame, the side frame including a pair of vertical posts and across rail extending between the posts, the side frame further includingat least one attachment device comprising a locking bar and a metalshackle configured to engage the locking bar; a seat carried on the baseframe, the seat comprising a plurality of spaced decking members; a seatback assembly configured to engage the base frame, the seat backassembly comprising a seat back frame having spaced extension elements,with the extension elements configured to engage the receiving memberson the base frame, and with the locking device configured to engage theextension elements such that a position of the seat back assembly withrespect to the base frame is selectively adjustable; and a leg supportconfigured to engage the base frame, the leg support comprising asupport beam configured to engage a receiving member of the base frameand a support surface connected to the support beam, wherein the supportsurface comprises at least one decking member.